Workshops

Ingrid and Ty are both experienced workshop presenters and teachers and have taught a variety of subjects at colleges, songwriting retreats, festivals, and institutions. Known for their poetic and eclectic songwriting, they are alumni of Real Women Real Songs and have taught songwriting and other workshops at The Old Town School of Folk Music, The Freight & Salvage, Rocky Mountain Song School, and others, and have assisted with Dar Williams' "Writing A Song That Matters" retreat.

Songwriting Beyond Autobiography (all levels): When you're writing songs, it makes sense to start with what you know best: yourself. But what would it be like to branch out and write songs that aren't purely autobiographical? Much like novels, some of the most moving songs are written about people, places, and things outside the author's immediate experience. In this workshop, we'll explore the art of embodying another person and writing from their point of view, as either a first or third person narrator. Your instructors will play some examples of "narrative" songs, after which students will participate in fun and simple exercises designed to expand your point of view. During these exercises, both instructors will be available to assist students. Whether you're in a "sick of writing about myself" rut or just wanting to expand your lyrical skills, this class is a great way to get outside the box!

The Political Is Personal (all levels): These turbulent times call for good political songs. Some of the best political songs change minds and hearts by connecting us with issues on a personal level, inspiring empathy and shifting attitudes. Other political songs “preach to the choir,” adding fuel to social justice movements and stirring people to action. What’s the difference? How do you make sure your songs have the desired impact? In this hands-on workshop we’ll learn techniques for translating our passion for social issues into powerful songs that hit our listeners on a gut level.

Adaptation (all levels): This workshop explores the idea of using a pre-existing song, poem, painting, or other art form as a starting point for an original song. We'll discuss the difference between adaptation and plagiarism, why and when it’s effective to adapt, etc. Then we'll all read the same poem or view a work of visual art, and write a song draft in class (verse/chorus). Instructors will be available to help and we will workshop song ideas as time permits.

MUSIC BUSINESS WORKSHOPS

Building a Fam-Base (all levels): It’s a post-rockstar world. Today’s music business requires that you share more aspects of your life than ever. How can you use this to your advantage? We'll discuss using social media, blogging, crowdfunding, onstage persona, road journals, photography, and more to build an inner circle of super fans who feel like friends and support you like family. Tips on maintaining boundaries and professionalism. Handouts for students will be provided.

Rules of the Road: The Essential Toolkit for A Successful Tour (all levels): With over 20 collective years of self-powered national touring under their belt, Ty and Ingrid cover ALL aspects (before, during, and after) of creating a tour, whether it’s a weekend of shows in your home state or a national CD release. We'll cover how to approach venues for gigs, how/when to draft contracts, advancing shows, being your own road manager, packing your car, effective and affordable self-promotion, money management/budgeting, buying gear, creating merch, keeping track of merch & ticket sales, booking hotels, communicating with sound technicians. Includes easel presentation and handouts for students.

MOVEMENT & PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS

MOJO 101: Get Into Your Groove (all levels): From Axl Rose to Gillian Welch, EVERYONE's got mojo - a captivating stage presence born of your own unique expression and connection to YOUR OWN music. We'll look at examples and inspirations of famous performers’ signature moves and the benefits of internalizing rhythm, on and off stage, to enhance performance and musicality. Then, as a group, we'll practice rhythmic walking and stationary movement styles from head to toe (with and without instruments in hand) to recorded music. Open to all levels of movement and performing experience. Ingrid brings 20+ years of professional dancing experience to this workshop.

Crafting Your Stage Persona: Performance Bells & Whistles (all levels): From the moment a performer walks on stage, the crowd is subconsciously taking inventory on who we are before a single note or word is shared. We will look at development and fine tuning of THREE key components: Presentation (costuming, aesthetics), Movement (posture, mobility, gait), and Charisma (stage banter, facial response, band/audience interaction). Students will explore stage physicality (with & without instruments), improv acting exercises to navigate crowd interaction, and end with volunteers using class as “audience”. This workshop is geared for musicians who are aspiring to or already taking the stage.

OTHER WORKSHOPS

Morning Routines for Artists: Some of the most creative minds in the world are famously early risers. Why is that? Morning routines help us carve time into our day for creativity that might otherwise get lost in the to-do lists. We'll discuss how to create a routine that sticks, how to get out of bed if you’re not a morning person, components of effective morning routines (exercise, journaling, meditation, reading, visualization, etc), how to build a creative practice into your routine, and how to make your routine into a daily habit you look forward to.